Bohemian Rhapsody in E
Bohemian Rhapsody in E
Key of E
E major is arguably guitar's most powerful key. The open low E and high E strings ring sympathetically as the root, while the open B provides the fifth. This triple reinforcement gives E-based riffs and chords unmatched depth and volume. E is a beginner-level key on guitar because both the low E and high E strings ring as the root, and the open B is the fifth — three open strings reinforce the tonic chord. Beginners will find this key approachable since most chords use open voicings with minimal stretching.
Voice Leading
The bass line moves through E to F# (ascending whole step), F# to B (ascending perfect fourth), B to F# (descending perfect fourth), F# to E (descending whole step), E to C# (descending minor third), C# to E (ascending minor third), E to A (ascending perfect fourth), A to F# (descending minor third), F# to F (descending half step), F to D# (descending whole step), D# to E (ascending half step), E to G (ascending minor third), G to B (ascending major third), B to B (ascending unison), B to F (ascending tritone), F to A (ascending major third), A to B (ascending whole step), B to B (ascending unison), B to E (ascending perfect fourth), E to B (descending perfect fourth), B to D (ascending minor third), D to D (ascending unison), D to A (descending perfect fourth), A to B (ascending whole step), B to C# (ascending whole step), C# to G (ascending tritone), G to G (ascending unison), G to E (descending minor third), E to G# (ascending major third), G# to D# (descending perfect fourth), D# to G (ascending major third), G to D (descending perfect fourth), D to F# (ascending major third), F# to A# (ascending major third), A# to F (descending perfect fourth), F to D# (descending whole step), D# to A (ascending tritone), A to C (ascending minor third), C to B (descending half step), B to C (ascending half step), C to F (ascending perfect fourth), F to C (descending perfect fourth), C to E (ascending major third), E to C# (descending minor third), C# to C# (ascending unison), C# to D (ascending half step), D to D (ascending unison). A half-step bass movement creates a strong leading-tone pull that demands resolution. The root motion by larger intervals (fourths and fifths) gives each chord change a strong, decisive character. When the progression loops, the bass returns from D to E by whole step.
Scales for Improvisation
E major pentatonic works because every note is either a chord tone or a safe passing tone — there are no avoid notes. For soloing, this means you can play freely without clashing. Over dominant seventh chords, E Mixolydian adds the flat seventh for an authentic blues-rock edge.